Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Wondering what you can do to help capture the eye of a potential buyer?

Staging your home allows a buyer to see your house as their potential home. Creating an inviting, homey atmosphere is sure to leave a positive impression on any buyer that walks through your house.

Check our my five home staging tips to see what simple things your can do to capture that Buyer's eye.

1. Boost curb appeal. If a potential buyer drives by and is turned off by the exterior of your house, you can count on the fact that they won’t be interested in seeing the inside. Installing larger, easy to read house numbers, power wash your siding, walkways and driveway, and repaint the exterior as needed are just a few ideas to grab a Buyer's attention. Also, be sure to wash the front windows mow and rake the lawn and make sure the foliage is well-tended to.

2. Eliminate clutter and remove any personal touches. I know it's your home and you are most likely still living here but Removing knick-knacks, piles of paper, collections of magazines and personal photos allows a potential Buyer to picture their items in your home. Make an effort to keep your floors, countertops, shelves and closets clean and clear.

3. Neutral refresh. Refresh your walls with a new coat of paint, but I would suggest that you stay clear of dark or “fun” colors. Choosing an elegant, muted color palette gives potential buyers a neutral backdrop, so they can easily envision their own furniture, belongings, and personal style throughout your house.

4. Make the house a home. Even though you are preparing to move out, create a homey atmosphere to attract potential buyers coming through. Style your kitchen or dining room table with complete place settings and an inexpensive, seasonal fresh flower arrangement. If necessary, rearrange the living room furniture to create an inviting seating arrangement that’s conducive to close conversation.

5. Stage seasonally, indoors and out. Do you have a fire pit in the backyard? Set the scene with outdoor seating, plush chair cushions and several cozy blankets draped over the backs of the chairs. Turn on the fireplace in your living room and strategically use autumn-scented potpourri, or simmer hot apple cider on the stove (set on extra low). Take advantage of the cooler temperatures and open windows to let in the crisp, early fall breeze.

Setting the stage for a potential buyer is a key factor in selling your home, please let me know if you would like any further ideas to set your stage to sell your home!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Monday, February 4, 2013

5 Reasons You Should Buy a Home NOW!
by THE KCM CREW on FEBRUARY 4, 2013 · 1 COMMENT
Many potential buyers are waiting until they can be 100% sure the real estate market has fully recovered before making the move to purchase a home. Here are five reasons why waiting might not make sense any longer:
1.) Prices Are on the Rise
The latest Case Shiller Home Price Index revealed that home prices have appreciated 5.5% over the last year. This is occurring across the nation as increases were reported in 19 of 20 metros. The Home Price Expectation Survey, which polls a distinguished panel of over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts, calls for continued appreciation over the next five years.
2.) Mortgage Interest Rates Are Expected to Increase
The Mortgage Bankers Association has predicted that, after reaching record lows in 2012, mortgage rates will creep up slowly in 2013 to 4.4%. Rates have already increased by 2/10 of a point (3.32 to 3.53) in the last two months.
3.) Rents Are Continuing to Skyrocket
Recently, Zillow reported that rents in the U.S. increased by 4.2% over the last year. Increases were 5% or more in many major metropolitan areas including Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Detroit, Baltimore, Denver, San Jose and Charlotte.
4.) New Mortgage Regulations Will Be Announced Later This Year
Six regulators, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Securities and Exchange Commission, are currently drafting the new Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) rule. They will decide on two major requirements for buyers looking to qualify for a mortgage: minimum down payment and minimum FICO score. Many experts believe the new rules will be more stringent than current requirements.
5.) Timelines Will Be Shorter
The dramatic increase in transactions caused many challenges to the process of buying or selling a home in 2012. We waited for inspections, dealt with last minute appraisals and prayed that the bank didn’t ask for ‘just one more piece of paper’ before issuing a commitment on the mortgage. There are fewer transactions this time of year. That means that timetables on each component of the home buying process will be friendlier for those involved in transactions over the next 90 days.
These are five good reasons why you should consider buying a home today instead of waiting.
AGENTS: Looking for insights on how to explain to your clients (especially Generation X & Y and Move-Up buyers) that now is the time to buy? Check out our recorded webinar today.